Low Back Pain on Spine From Running

Low back pain on spine from running shouldn’t be common, but it is, and there’s a reason for this. Populating data shows that occurrence of a sore lower back from running is due to the repetitive high impact landings and postural impairments associated with heel striking.

Landing on the heel hurts the back, and this is what runners need to know!

Low Back Pain on Spine From Running

There are multiple ways heel strike running hurts the lower back. For one, a rapid impact spike at heel strike is generated which propagates as a shock-wave that travels up the leg, into the back causing soft tissue swelling. Researchers are convinced that the rapid impact spike may not be properly dissipated, or absorbed by the body when running.

Previous work has found that many heel strike runners have excessive anterior pelvic tilt, leading to lumbar lordosis during running.

Heel strike runners also hold their torso upright when running, rather than leaning forward as seen in forefoot runners. And, heel strike runners show maximum knee extension at heel strike (the knee is not bent) which augments impact rather than reduces it.

Taken together, extremity stiffness arises, which causes lower back pain when running.

In that case, wearing shoes with a thicker heel should absorb impact related to lower back pain, right?

BSc Neurobiology; MSc Biomechanics candidate, ultra minimalist runner & founder of RunForefoot. I was a heel striker, always injured. I was inspired by the great Tirunesh Dibaba to try forefoot running. Now, I'm injury free. This is why I launched Run Forefoot, to advocate the health & performance benefits of forefoot running and to raise awareness on the dangers of heel striking, because the world needs to know.